by Judy Handley | Jun 18, 2025 | 2025 Sailing Logs |
2025 Life Logs, Day 168: Stepping into Summer
Date: Wednesday, June 18, 2025
Weather: Cloudy, Foggy Near the Water; High Temp 67, Low 64 degrees F
Location: At Home on Lakeview Avenue with My Shadow, Falmouth, MA
It was not a beautiful sunny day, but many things that happened today are signs that we are stepping into summer. Today was the last day of school, so for me that means the beginning of year 14 of Camp Oma. It is now really only for Ollie, and he is a teenager, but hopefully we will still have days at the beach and some Cape Cod ‘explores’. Today was also the Installation Luncheon for Encore, which means turning over the reins of leadership. That really has nothing to do with summer, but it is a time of change. Then there was the Dress in All White party this afternoon at Cape Cod Winery. Seeing a lot of people all dressed om white is a definite sign of summer. So, through clouds and fog, summer is almost here. Officially summer begins on Friday night at 10:42 pm ET. Friday is the summer solstice and the longest day of the year. But for me, today was the beginning.
For the past 3 summers, the Encore Installation Luncheon has been on this third Wednesday of June at the Poppy Tent on the water’s edge in Mashpee. For two of those years, there was sunshine with a beautiful blue sky. Not today. There was fog on the water with a complete cloud cover. Still, it is a beautiful location, and it was a delightful luncheon.
Christina Brodie and I handed the gavel to a new Encore President, and we instantly became Past Presidents. It has been a good two years, but now it is time to move on. I am continuing on the Board as Vice President of Programs for one year, so all responsibilities are not relinquished, but not quite the demands of running the organization. I have to admit, I look forward to that.
Now on to Juneteenth.
by Judy Handley | Jun 17, 2025 | 2025 Sailing Logs |
2025 Life Logs, Day 167: Meeting, Meeting, Meeting, Soccer
Date: Tuesday, June 17, 2025
Weather: Cloudy; High Temp 67, Low 62 degrees F
Location: At Home on Lakeview Avenue with My Shadow, Falmouth, MA
My day was a series of informal but very important meetings. I started at 8:30 am at Coffee O meeting with two other Library Board trustees to get some guidance on my position as Treasurer. That meeting had not really ended when my next meeting started. The woman who was meeting me sat at the next table, so all I had to do was turn around. This meeting was just the two of us that make-up the entirety of a sub-committee of the Immigration Rights Coalition. I am working on a film series on non-violent resistance films, and the other woman is working on an art exhibit of art depicting what is happening on the border with Mexico. It was fortuitous for her that the chair of the Library Board overheard our conversation about her difficulties finding a space for the art show. It turns out the library has just the spot for that. So, after our meeting, we went to the library to check it out. If the artist in charge of this display agrees, the show will be there.
It was after 1 pm when I got home, answered some emails, ate lunch, and left for the last Exploring Public Policy meeting of the year. And before that ended, I left to take Jonah and another teammate, Jean Luc, to Sandwich for the first summer soccer game. Jonah (number 14)just got the go ahead from the doctor that he can resume normal activity. This was his first time on the field since last fall. I know he has missed playing soccer so much and was really happy to be out there. Pre-game warm up started at 5:30 pm.
Heather was able to join me at the game after her final meeting of the day as she wanted to be there to support Jonah. But he had to be there for the pre-game warm up earlier than Heather could get him there. That’s why I took him. That, and the fact that I wanted to see the game as well.
I got home from the soccer game around 8 pm. Whew! What a long day.
by Judy Handley | Jun 16, 2025 | 2025 Sailing Logs |
2025 Life Logs, Day 166: One Million Rising
Date: Monday, June 16, 2025
Weather: Mostly Sunny; High Temp 66, Low 59 degrees F
Location: At Home on Lakeview Avenue with My Shadow, Falmouth, MA
As I said in yesterday’s log, today was going to begin and end with a Zoom meeting, but in between I said I was going to get outside and do some gardening. That didn’t happen, but I did get a lot done today. This morning’s meeting was the Falmouth Immigration Coalition. Shh. Don’t tell anyone that I volunteered to work on another project. Then, instead of heading outside, I worked on trying to get my act together as the Board of Library Trustee treasurer position I somehow managed to elected to. I had nightmares about that last night, so for my sanity I needed to work on that. Then, I did take a break to go over and check in on Ollie and Jonah. They are still in school, but due to finals, neither had school this afternoon. Ollie wanted to go to Smitty’s. so I made my first Smitty’s ice cream run of the summer.
But there was a bribe involved. I told him I would take him to get ice cream if he would contact his friend Simon and arrange to biking when we got home. I didn’t get outside this afternoon, but at least I got Ollie outside. Then it was back home to finish getting the library board books completed that I had started earlier.
Tonight, I attended a Zoom meeting sponsored by Indivisible. It was advertised as No Kings – What’s Next? – a follow up to the very successful “No Kings” mass mobilization. On Saturday, there were over 5 million people participating in 2,169 events worldwide. A lot of time was spent showing how very successful the day was. To be a successful movement, we need 3.5% of the US population. That would be 11.89 million people. We are almost half-way there! But what comes next to grow the movement? There were many ideas presented, but the bottom line is that you and I and what we choose to do to be involved is what’s next. What action, no matter how small, are you going to take today? Tomorrow?
If you are interested in ideas, go to https://www.mobilize.us/nokings/event/803953
This will take you to a site where you can sign up for 3 training sessions this summer offered on Zoom called “one Million Rising.”. There were thousands of people on tonight’s call and there will be thousands taking the Zoom training on leadership. I signed up and hope you will consider doing the same. We have to build power for the long haul and that is going to take leadership. The first class is July 16. Hope to see you there.
by Judy Handley | Jun 15, 2025 | 2025 Sailing Logs |
2025 Life Logs, Day 165: A Quiet Sunday
Date: Sunday, June 15, 2025
Weather: Partly Sunny; High Temp 65, Low 56 degrees F
Location: At Home on Lakeview Avenue with My Shadow, Falmouth, MA
Since the first of June, I have been crazy busy. Things started slowing down on Friday, and by today, there was absolutely nothing on my calendar. It took me an hour or so this morning to get going, but all of the things that needed to be done during the past two weeks and just got ignored started to slowly come back to me. I have been on this computer for the entire day, and I have gotten a huge amount done. I am still buried in things to do, but at least I have time to do them. I start and end my day tomorrow with Zoom meetings, but there is time in between to continue ticking things off the ’to do’ list. But no more 10-hour days on this computer tomorrow. I need to get outside and get some gardening done.
by Judy Handley | Jun 14, 2025 | 2025 Sailing Logs |
2025 Life Logs, Day 164: No Kings Day
Date: Saturday, June 14, 2025
Weather: Overcast with Rain; High Temp 64, Low 53 degrees F
Location: At Home on Lakeview Avenue with My Shadow, Falmouth, MA
We don’t yet have an estimate of the number of Americans who came out in every state in the nation today to celebrate Flag Day and the 250th anniversary of the US Army in protest of the dictator-style military parade in Washington.
But we know the numbers were huge. Here in Massachusetts, we did not have the weather on our side. Despite that, the village Green in Falmouth was full of people. I heard one estimate of over 1500 people. Whatever, it was fantastic.
I came home a drippy, cold mess. I had planned to change into dry clothes and go back downtown to have a lobster roll and strawberry sundae at the annual Saint Barnabus event, but instead I changed clothes, laid down to take a short nap, and woke up after 5 pm. I needed that nap as whatever this sinus/respiratory issue I have been having since Tuesday is lingering on. My body is telling me that I need rest and when my friend Lynne left this morning, she also told me to get some rest. For once in my life, I am listening.
Christina Brodie and I handed the gavel to a new Encore President, and we instantly became Past Presidents. It has been a good two years, but now it is time to move on. I am continuing on the Board as Vice President of Programs for one year, so all responsibilities are not relinquished, but not quite the demands of running the organization. I have to admit, I look forward to that.
